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Art and Visual Communications - Illustration Emphasis, B.F.A.

Requirements

Graduation Plan

Department

Faculty

Careers

Requirements

The program is ideal for students wanting to pursue careers in traditional illustration,
digital illustration, or animation. In addition to working with faculty who are professionals
in their fields, students have access to the best software in the industry. Courses
in figure drawing, children’s book illustration, anatomy and figure structure, flash
animation, 3-D computer rendering, and advanced illustration are just a few of the
classes available to students. The courses offer a well-rounded and practical learning
experience. Students in the illustration program benefit from interaction with instructors
who are nationally known professional illustrators.

Total Program Credits: 120

Matriculation Requirements:

AA, AS, or AAS Degree or equivalent in Art and Visual Communication or advisor approval

Visual Literacy We encourage the development of strong visual literacy among students of the visual arts. We support the study of history, culture, technology and trends to this end.

Professional Excellence In preparing visual art students for careers in a broad market, we support and expect excellence and professionalism.

Creative Diversity While teaching techniques, styles, and practices is an important part of our programs, we support a diversity of styles and individual expressions among students in their creative work.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration We support collaboration across the visual arts through multi-disciplinary student and faculty projects. These collaborative efforts may be extended to include other departments within the School of the Arts as well as the entire UVU campus.

Cultural/Social Responsibility We support the study and advancement of the visual arts from local to international levels. We foster understanding to promote artistic freedom and to preserve culture through creative production and historical research.

Utah Valley University’s Department of Art & Visual Communications offers degrees in applied arts, fine arts and art education. Upon completing a degree, students emerge from the program ready to enter careers in graphic design, photography, advertising, printing, animation, illustration, art education, printmaking, sculpture, game development, painting and more. Students can earn a general degree, exploring several areas within the visual arts, or they can specialize, exploring a specific practice in depth to better understand it and/or prepare for employment in that field.

Degrees Offered

Students who want to concentrate on a specific area of art and visual communications can gain professional training at UVU through several specialized degrees:

Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.)

A two-year degree where students can emphasize one of three mediums.

Graphic Design

Illustration

Photography

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Art Education

A four-year degree in which students are trained to teach as art specialists at the secondary level (7–12 grade).

Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.)

A four-year degree for individuals with above-average abilities, who are looking for a competitive program to hone their skills.

Graphic Design

Illustration

Painting/Drawing

Photography

Sculpture/Ceramics

Students who want to study art and visual communications broadly, without emphasizing one particular medium, can choose to earn one of four general degrees:

Bachelor of Arts in Art and Visual Communications (B.A.)

Bachelor of Science in Art and Visual Communications (B.S.)

Associate of Art in Art and Visual Communications (A.A.)

Associate of Science in Art and Visual Communications (A.S.)

Students who elect to earn a bachelor of arts or associate of arts degree are required to complete a foreign language requirement, while those who earn a bachelor of science or associate of science degree have the option to take more electives. All of these degrees allow students to explore a few areas within the department and gain a more well-rounded education in the visual arts. Some of our 1000 level courses also fulfill general education requirements.

Career Opportunities

Our degrees prepare students for various career opportunities, some of which are delineated below.

Fine Arts: Painting/Drawing, Sculpture/Ceramics, Photography

Students are prepared to compete in the arts arena typically via self-employment by promoting their work through galleries, museums, exhibitions and commissions. Some students also choose to pursue graduate studies to further their development or to prepare them to teach in higher education. Areas of study include painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, and ceramics.

Applied Arts: Graphic Design, Illustration, Photography

Students are prepared to compete for employment at advertising agencies, design studios, in-house design departments, printing firms, photography studios, gaming developers, animation studios and for freelance consulting work (self-employed). Some students may also choose to further their studies in graduate programs.

Education: BS in Art Education

The Bachelor of Science in Art Education certifies students to teach as an art specialist at the secondary level in public schools and private schools.

Engaged Learning

Students are encouraged to learn by applying what they study in the real world and by taking part in activities outside the classroom.

The department offers many opportunities for students to travel and interact with practicing art professionals. In an annual trip to New York, students visit museums, galleries and artists’ studios to learn more about creating art. Students can also apply to attend a five-week study abroad in Italy each summer. The department’s four-week art history and photography study abroad program recently placed

8th among Abroad101’s list of best Short-Term Programs. In this program, students tour Europe for four weeks, learning about art history and taking advantage of photography opportunities.

Students regularly enter their work in competitions at local, state and national levels, with several students earning awards each year. At UVU’s annual art history symposium, students present their research alongside faculty. Every student in the Department of Art & Visual Communications attends an art lecture series, in which artists from around the country visit UVU to present their work, lecture on what they do and occasionally hold a workshop.

AVC Core Grade Requirement

The AVC Core requirements (ART 1110, ART 1120, ART 1130, ART 1400 and one of the following: ART 1050, ART 1350, ART 1420, or ART 1650) must be completed with a B- or higher before being formally admitted to the BS, BA, and BFA programs.

Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) Requirements:

This degree is for those with exceptional abilities in art and visual communications. In order to apply to the BFA, students must first meet the core class requirements (consult with your academic advisor for details) in the AVC Department and submit a portfolio for departmental BFA review. Students desiring to participate in the review should submit a letter of intent by Thursday, February 19th to the AVC offices in GT 535. Portfolios will be due on Thursday, March 5th. Acceptance into the BFA is based on the portfolio review, overall GPA of 2.0 or above with 3.0 GPA or above in ART and ARTH courses. Courses within the student’s area of emphasis must be completed with a C grade or above. For graduation with a BFA degree, students must maintain the grade requirements listed above and receive a B grade or above for ART 499R BFA Project. For more information, contact the Academic Advisors. Those not accepted into the program may apply up to 2 additional times for admission. With the exception of the Graphic Design emphasis, a review is held in the fall for students who were not accepted in the spring. Students not accepted into the BFA program, or who are unable to fulfill the above requirements, may still pursue the more general BA/BS degrees.

Graduation Requirement: Portfolio Submission

To ensure that faculty and programs at UVU are adequately teaching and preparing students for professional careers and/or further schooling, the Art and Visual Communications Department has implemented a graduating student portfolio submission. All students completing a degree in the Art and Visual Communications Department are required to submit a portfolio for faculty/professional review prior to graduation. Results are kept confidential and are used only to help modify and improve curriculum and teaching. Consult with your academic advisor for details of deadlines and requirements to make certain all AVC degree graduation requirements are met.

Patrick Wilkey(2007)

Associate Professor

Careers

Careers:

Students are prepared to compete for employment creating concepts, illustrations,
backgrounds, textures, and more in the areas of gaming development, animation, and
for freelance consulting work (self-employed) creating illustrations for books (children's,
graphic novels, etc.), magazines (both traditional and online), storyboarding, advertising.
Some students may also choose to further their studies in graduate programs. Many
employment opportunities will be a combination of freelance, part time employment,
and/or full time employment. For example, a concept artist may be in a full time position
for the duration of a large project but may freelance or be employed part time on
smaller similar projects.